In 1911, almost five decades after Evanghelie Zappa’s death, the Iris newspaper published the memories of its founder, Zaharia P. Sardelly, who worked for a short period of time as secretary of the great landowner and philanthropist. By 1854, Zappa was looking for a secretary, and young Sardelly was looking for a safe and well paid job. Sardelly’s image of Zappa is without any doubt altered by the passage of the years, but also by the natural need to appear before the posterity in a most favourable light. The Modern Olympic Games, the Grammar and the Dictionary of the Romanian language were born in the mansion of Broșteni between 1854 and 1860. This study brings to light other documentary testimonies that complete, confirm or deny Zaharia Sardelly’s observations. Two letters of Zappa to Prim-Minister Ion Ghica (on February 21, 1860 and on March 13, 1860) are provided in Annexes 1–4.